Moving Out of the Inner-West Sydney — The Complete 2026 Checklist

✅ 4–6 Weeks Before Move-Out

• Give proper written notice. Under the NSW Residential Tenancies Act, you must give at least 21 days written notice if you're ending a fixed-term lease at the end date, or at least 21 days if moving out during a periodic tenancy. Check your lease for any additional notice requirements. Submit notice in writing — email is acceptable and creates a record.
• Confirm your move-out date in writing. Get written confirmation of the date from your property manager. This sets the clock on the final inspection and bond refund timeline.
• Request a copy of the ingoing condition report. If you don't already have it, request it from your property manager now. This is the document the final inspection will be compared against. Review it thoroughly and note anything that was pre-existing at entry — this protects you from being charged for pre-existing issues.
• Photograph the property now. Take dated photos of every room in the current condition. This creates a second baseline (in addition to the ingoing report) before you begin the moving and packing process.
• Book a removalist if needed. Inner-west removalists book out fast around end of month. If your move-out date falls at the end of a month, book early.

✅ 2–3 Weeks Before Move-Out

• Book your end of lease cleaning. This is the most important booking you'll make for the move-out process. Book AnytimeClean at least 3–5 days before your final inspection — this gives you a buffer for any minor touch-ups without stress. For end-of-month dates in busy inner-west suburbs (Bankstown, Marrickville, Strathfield), availability fills fast. Don't leave this to the last week. Call 0480 805 010 or book at anytimeclean.com.au/book-now/
• Book carpet steam cleaning if required. If your ingoing condition report noted carpets as steam cleaned at the start of the tenancy, arrange steam cleaning alongside your end of lease clean. AnytimeClean offers this as an add-on from $40 per area.
• Notify utilities of your move-out date. Electricity, gas, internet — each provider needs advance notice to close your account and arrange final meter reads. Most require 3–5 business days notice minimum.
• Arrange mail redirection. Australia Post's mail redirection service requires a few days to set up. Do this before you move, not after.
• Update your address with key organisations: Medicare, ATO, superannuation, banks, insurance providers, vehicle registration, electoral roll.

✅ Moving Week

• Move all furniture and personal items out before the clean. The end of lease clean should happen in a completely vacant property. Furniture in the way means areas get missed. The cleaner shouldn't be working around boxes or belongings.
• Don't use the kitchen or bathrooms after the clean. If you need to be in the property after the clean for any reason, avoid using the kitchen or bathrooms. Oven use, shower scum, bin waste — anything that creates a new cleaning requirement between the clean and the inspection becomes your problem.
• Take timestamped photos after the clean. Photograph every key area — oven interior, shower screen, skirting boards, inside wardrobes, balcony, window tracks. These are your evidence if the property manager raises any dispute. Do this immediately after the clean, before leaving the property.
• Don't hand back keys until after the inspection. Handing back keys before the final inspection removes your ability to re-access the property if a re-clean is needed. Hold onto one set until after the inspection is signed off.

✅ Final Inspection Day

• Attend the inspection if possible. Property managers in Sydney's inner-west will usually allow you to attend the final inspection. This gives you the chance to discuss any items in real time and reference the ingoing condition report for anything pre-existing.
• Have the ingoing condition report with you. If the agent raises something at inspection, compare it immediately to the ingoing report. If it was pre-existing, say so and reference the document.
• Note anything flagged in writing. If the property manager raises a cleaning issue, ask for it in writing — which specific areas, what the deficiency is. This is what you'll use to claim under the AnytimeClean bond back guarantee if a re-clean is needed.
• Contact AnytimeClean within 72 hours if anything is flagged. Our bond back guarantee requires notification within 72 hours of the inspection. Call 0480 805 010 with the specific items raised and we'll arrange the return visit at zero cost.

✅ After the Inspection — Bond Refund

• Bond refund timeline in NSW. If the property manager makes no claim on your bond, NSW Fair Trading should release the bond within 14 days. If there's a dispute, the timeline extends until the dispute is resolved — either by agreement or through NCAT.
• You must agree to any deduction. Under the NSW Residential Tenancies Act, you need to sign a bond refund form agreeing to any deduction. Do not sign if you disagree with a deduction — you can dispute it at NCAT for free.
• NCAT for disputes. The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal handles bond disputes. Lodgements are free for tenants and don't require legal representation. Keep all your documentation: ingoing condition report, timestamped photos, cleaning invoice, any written communication with the property manager.

Inner-West Sydney — Suburb-Specific Notes

A few suburb-specific things that affect the move-out process in Sydney's inner-west:

• Marrickville, Newtown, Leichhardt: High proportion of period terraces and sharehouses. The ingoing condition report for these properties often has more detail than newer apartments — review it carefully. Shared tenancies: all tenants on the lease share bond liability regardless of individual contributions to the mess.
• Bankstown, Lakemba, Campsie: High apartment density, busy agencies, end-of-month booking crunch. Book the clean early. Balcony cleaning is almost always needed.
• Strathfield, Burwood, Ashfield: Mix of apartments and Federation homes. Larger properties take longer. If your property has period features, flag this when booking.